Aw, finally the angst hits! Granted, for a drama of this tone the angst isn’t overpowering, which is probably a good thing. Plus, there’s plenty of cute to balance it out. I think we could all sorta see this coming so it wasn’t very surprising, but I did appreciate how we were brought here in a logical progression.

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EPISODE 9 RECAP

As Min-woo and Shi-joon face off, the air is tense. Kae-hwa steps in before things escalate and scolds Min-woo for exacerbating things. Min-woo, who had meant what he said about offering to invest, feels unjustly accused, but Kae-hwa chides him for adding to the problems.

Shi-joon excuses himself, leaving the two to continue the argument. Still, the mood lightens a bit, meaning that this isn’t so much a serious fight as it is another bickering match. Min-woo is insulted at her charge, and annoyed that Shi-joon is standing on his pride even when he needs help. He asks, “Whose side are you on?” Her response is basically “Picking sides? What are you, twelve?” (I’m paraphrasing that last bit.)

On the ride home, Min-woo can’t let the matter rest and asks if Kae-hwa finds him laughable — how could she disregard him like that? He was offering to help! We understand that Min-woo was sincere, but Kae-hwa has read it a different way and says that he was just bragging about his money and rubbing Shi-joon’s nose in it, “without affection or courtesy.”

Min-woo’s offended to be so misunderstood, but they can’t get fight it out while Ye-eun’s sleeping, so they pull over and step out of the car in order to argue. (In my book, if you’re taking extra precautions before launching into an argument, you can’t really be that mad, can you?)

Min-woo takes issue with Kae-hwa’s loyalty to Shi-joon — so he’s wonderful no matter what, and Min-woo’s wrong no matter what? At her faith that Shi-joon will produce a successful musical, Min-woo retorts, “Is he God? How can you have such faith?”

Kae-hwa answers that she can see the passion in how he works. In fact, Min-woo ought to take this opportunity to learn how to act properly. Irked, Min-woo points out that the company’s on the verge of ruin, then gets in the car and drives off, leaving her standing there. She sputters in outrage — how could he just ditch her?

I would feel worse for Kae-hwa if not for the fact that Min-woo is really the one inconvenienced by his selfish gesture. When he arrives at home, he has to carry the sleeping Ye-eun up, and who should be camped out in the parking lot but tenacious Reporter Han?

The reporter spies Min-woo hurrying by and calls out to him. Caught, Min-woo has no choice but to run carrying the girl, and manages to duck behind a parked car in time to avoid being seen. Still, the reporter smells a juicy tidbit and knows Min-woo is nearby, so he hunkers down to wait for sign of movement.

(Min-woo’s made a lot of strides, hasn’t he? The last time he was in this situation, he was holding Ye-eun with stiff arms, as far away from his body as possible like she were some contagious disease. This time he cradles her protectively. Though it’s a wonder the kid doesn’t wake up from all that jostling.)

Stuck in his hiding place, Min-woo tries calling Kae-hwa for help, but she doesn’t hear her phone because she’s busy trying to find a bus station. Serves ya right, buddy! He hesitates over whether to call his manager, but finally decides he needs the help and starts to dial Yoon-seok’s number.

Thankfully, he doesn’t have to, because the security guard comes to his rescue. A report from a resident has come in about a suspicious man lurking in the area, so he drags the reporter off.

Thankfully, he’s able to go home safely and put Ye-eun to bed without further ado. Kae-hwa comes home annoyed, but this encounter has shaken Min-woo and he doesn’t engage with her.

Meanwhile, nosy Reporter Han tries to make sense of the scene. Without a photo he’s got no basis for writing an article, but it’s particularly suspicious since Min-woo ran away from him. Trying to think of an angle, the reporter gets an idea and starts typing a story speculating about the identity of the mysterious hidden child.

In the morning, Kae-hwa cautiously defends Min-woo to Shi-joon, in case he’s still upset. She explains that he’s not a bad guy and was just trying to express his concern over the musical, however awkwardly. Shi-joon cuts her off to say that he has a rule to keep his personal emotions from intruding upon business, and therefore yesterday’s encounter is already forgotten.

Shi-joon is displeased with the promotional poster that has been conceived, and overrides Jae-hee’s concerns about their tight budget to instruct them to hire a better designer. This opens the door for an employee bitching session, which is mostly harmless because the three subordinates all like Shi-joon, but find him difficult to work for at times. This is definitely one of those times. This hushed griping session also serves as a bonding moment, which is so true to life that I get a little kick out of it. After all, who hasn’t been here, finding friendships through communal suffering? Jae-hee is even nice to Kae-hwa for the first time, treating her sympathetically.

Kae-hwa is sent to a costuming consultation with Jung-ah, after which the latter invites Kae-hwa to have lunch with her. Jung-ah sees something in Kae-hwa that she likes — perhaps it’s her sincerity, or desire to work hard — and treats her with friendliness. When Kae-hwa takes a call from her daughter, Jung-ah can’t help feeling envy, and confides that she had once been pregnant. However, she made the mistake of putting her ambitions first — she had just gotten her first large-scale job — and lost the baby. The words she’d most wanted to hear from her husband were “It’s okay,” but he never said them.

Kae-hwa sees that Jung-ah is still hurt over this, and gently suggests that she should voice these thoughts. Jung-ah briefly considers it, but decides that it’s too late for that.

Bad news: Reporter Han may not have had proof, but he has enough of a hunch that he writes a veiled gossip piece about the hidden child of a certain “pretty boy actor Mr. S.” Yoon-seok is pissed. Min-woo is also upset, but he says defensively that nobody will know who the trash paper is talking about.

Yoon-seok contradicts him — his big CF has been canceled, because the advertisers immediately knew that the report was about Min-woo.

Yura calls, hence Min-woo goes running. She explains that she could use his help in a tux fitting, because she designed a dress and tux for her sunbae’s wedding. Of course he is enthralled with Yura the minute he claps eyes on her in the bridal gown — in kdramas, the men MUST melt at the sight of a woman in a wedding dress, because it is naturally imbued with the mystical power to enhance a woman’s attractiveness, or some such.

When Min-woo is out of earshot, Yura thanks the bridal shop for lending her the clothing. It wasn’t actually her design after all. Y’see, it’s all a part of her master plan to get Min-woo in love with her by reminding him how beautiful she is and to get marriage on his mind. She’s a crafty one, but really the most roundabout manipulator ever. Whatever happened to the direct approach?

As he falls further into Yura’s clutches, Min-woo feels more guilty about the secret he’s harboring. He practices telling Yura that he already has a daughter and asking her to accept that, but he’s nowhere near being able to say this to her for real.

Ye-eun is improving more and more every day, and Bok-nim and Kae-hwa are optimistic about her chances for recovery. It would be nice to have her father express his affection, too, but they’re pleased with the girl’s progress.

Producer Eom gloats to Shi-joon, having managed to one-up him by stealing his investment. Technically the investor was originally interested in Eom’s project but had changed to Shi-joon’s superior production, so Eom sees this as merely recovering what was initially his. He does, however, have somebody to introduce Shi-joon to, a potential business acquaintance.

As Yura meets with Yoon-seok to discuss Min-woo’s upcoming schedule, she carefully broaches the issue of Kae-hwa, suggesting with false concern that the “strange woman” hanging around Min-woo cannot be good for him. What if she turns out to be a stalker, or worse? Neither really believes this of Kae-hwa, but they’re both eager to find a reason to get rid of her.

Therefore, Yoon-seok calls Min-woo out for drinks that night to press the issue of leaving behind this career detour and getting back to business as usual. They both know that The Show Company’s production is toast, and even if the company manages to scrape together a show, it’s going to fail.

So here’s the deal: Min-woo can send his daughter to an orphanage — not to abandon her for good but with the intention of adopting her later. In that way he can claim her back, but to the public it’ll look just like he’s adopting, and it’ll have the added benefit of improving his image. Also, doesn’t he want to marry? (At this, Min-woo thinks of Yura and her wedding dress.)

Despite his selfish motives, Yoon-seok’s suggestion actually seems reasonable to Min-woo, especially when Yoon-seok emphasizes that this is better for Ye-eun, too. If Min-woo hesitates too long and plays this situation badly, he could ruin his whole life in the ensuing scandal. As Min-woo has been feeling nervous ever since his near-miss with the reporter, the words sound convincing…

After thinking hard all night, he calls Yoon-seok to make his decision: “I’m definitely going to adopt her back. Absolutely.”

That night, Min-woo comes home in a serious mood, feeling a bit guilty but having convinced himself that this is the right thing to do. Therefore he doesn’t get upset when Ye-eun accidentally spills her milk on him, which surprises both Kae-hwa and Ye-eun, who were expecting a typical outburst.

Kae-hwa feels bad that Ye-eun is always stuck indoors, so she suggests going to the zoo tomorrow. To her surprise, Min-woo even offers to drive them, so she invites him along. Thinking that this is indication of Min-woo warming to his daughter, Kae-hwa exults to Ye-eun. Sigh, if only!

Jung-ah has managed to rustle up some funds of her own to help Shi-joon. It’s not much, but as the business is strapped for cash, this should help tide him over. Then again, this is the proud Shi-joon we’re talking about, and he is not gracious about her offer. Instead, he looks at her suspiciously to ask why she’s helping all of a sudden. She’s a woman who brought her lover to lunch with him, and he is in no mood to accept her money.

Man, not that I’m condoning adultery — that’s Jung-ah’s mistake and nothing excuses that — but you can really see how this marriage went south, and Shi-joon’s behavior makes it difficult to wish him well when he ought to be the sympathetic one in this pair.

Zoo day! Min-woo accompanies the ladies while wearing a cap and shades that do very little toward disguising his identity. He doesn’t show his emotions outwardly but he does enjoy himself, and Kae-hwa takes everything in with enthusiasm.

In one cute moment, the three are walking along when another father walks by carrying his child on his shoulders. Kae-hwa and Ye-eun both give Min-woo purposely doleful looks, guilting him into lifting Ye-eun on his shoulders. The little one is learning! (She’ll have him wrapped around her finger in no time.)

Another cute moment comes when Kae-hwa urges Ye-eun to tell her father “Thank you” for the fun day out. Instead, Ye-eun offers her lollipop as her form of gratitude, which Min-woo eyes warily. He doesn’t want to lick it after the girl has been sucking on it, but Kae-hwa points out that kids never give up their candies so this is a big gesture for Ye-eun. Grudgingly, he takes a lick.

Unbeknownst to them, they’re being photographed by an unseen witness, who keeps himself hidden while snapping shots of the group outing. Min-woo catches a glimpse of the photographer, but quickly loses sight of him and leaves the zoo feeling uneasy.

That sight reinforces Min-woo’s worries, and that night he tries to tell Kae-hwa of his decision. However, she thanks him happily and goes on about how well Ye-eun is doing. When he downplays his contribution to the day’s fun, she says that she knows he’s really a warm person inside — after all, the reason he talked to Shi-joon about investing was because he had a genuine attachment to the musical.

Her gratitude doesn’t help with his guilt, and she doesn’t give him a chance to say his piece because she gets a sudden call to come in for an emergency meeting. Min-woo is left with his heavy conscience.

Shi-joon has called his employees in for a last-minute session to work out the details of an upcoming presentation to a prospective new investor. They will need to prepare the materials for the big meeting.

Afterward, Shi-joon offers her a ride back and explains that the investments came from a referral via Producer Eom. He may be a rival, but Kae-hwa supposes he must have felt guilty about stealing their investor to have helped refer a new one.

When Kae-hwa arrives at home, she hears Min-woo on the phone (with Yoon-seok, presumably) asking questions in a somber mood. He wants to make sure Ye-eun is left at a good orphanage and adds, “I’m going to adopt her later, you know that, right?”

Kae-hwa is stunned. She can’t believe what she has heard, and asks if he’s really going to dump his daughter. This isn’t how Min-woo wanted to tell her, but now that the cat’s out of the bag he confirms it. He clarifies that he isn’t abandoning her forever and that he intends to get her back, but Kae-hwa isn’t buying it. She asks suspiciously if this was all Yoon-seok’s idea — does he really believe that Yoon-seok will keep his promise? She asks incredulously, “Were you this kind of person? Were you this frightening person?”

Min-woo has been feeling conflicted about his decision, but when he’s confronted with Kae-hwa’s reaction, it’s as though he decides he may as well be the bad guy, the guy she thinks he is. Rather than continue to defend himself, he goes the other way and hardens his attitude: “Yeah, this is who I am. Didn’t you know?”

Kae-hwa is upset and supremely disappointed in him, and he bursts out in frustration, “Then what am I supposed to do? Keep living like this?” Hide the girl and sneak her around? He was almost caught by the reporter yesterday — if that had happened, the news have been all over the internet today, and his livelihood would be over in a heartbeat: “But still, you want me to think of the kid? What if thinking of the kid gets my life ruined in one shot? Then what? What about my life? Marriage? How long do I have to live like this?”

This also means Min-woo is done with the musical. Kae-hwa tells him that he must have grown attached to the production for him to come running to the office to offer to save it. But now that he’s decided to be the bad guy, Min-woo throws her words back at her, saying that it was just to brag about money.

Min-woo retreats to his room to brood some more, and when he emerges, Kae-hwa is sitting in the dark, pensive and silent.

She asks, “Can you really abandon Ye-eun?”

The words sink in and he takes a moment to gather his resolve to answer, “Yes, I can.” Turning to face her, he adds, “So please leave my home now.”

COMMENTS

Although this was an expected turn of events, I like how this was set up. For instance, the final argument between Min-woo and Kae-hwa played out the conflict in a convincing way, and I could actually see his point. Min-woo has been softening toward Ye-eun, true, but he’s still light-years away from being a proper father, so Kae-hwa’s protests sounded like she was clutching at straws. Even if she was on the “right” side of the argument.

You can’t quite discount Min-woo’s argument, though; even if the information was dropped into his ear by an untrustworthy Iago, the suggestion does seem appealing. If Min-woo adopts Ye-eun later, it would circumvent scandal and solve his problem in a neat way. Of course, our drama heroes must be made of more honorable stuff than that so we wouldn’t be satisfied without Min-woo acknowledging Ye-eun publicly, but from Yoon-seok’s standpoint this is the perfect solution.

With Kae-hwa and Ye-eun bonding so closely, what I fear most for isn’t the girl’s abandonment by her father but her separation from Kae-hwa. I feel like if she had to choose one parental figure, Kae-hwa is the one whose absence would be more hurtful, so I fear for her future if/when they have to part ways. Even if it is temporary.

On the other hand, Yura’s a pretty useless character, isn’t she? I know Park Han-byul has acted in several projects since Fantasy Couple in 2006, but Yura is practically a facsimile of the role she played in that drama. Granted, Yura isn’t the most fleshed-out character, but a good actor can bring a lot to an otherwise empty role. Park, on the other hand, has shown no growth as an actress and I can’t wait for the story to make her (even more) irrelevant.

thanks so much for the recaps….I totally love this drama but don’t have the time to watch it. Just watched the first few episodes and now depend on your recaps to get through each episode.
Thank you …looking forward to epsiode 10…cheers 🙂

love the little girl – and your comment about how he’s starting to cradle her instead of holding her like a doll is so true!

i’m glad the conflict is more about min woo struggling to accept that he’s a father rather than min woo struggling with his limited abilities as an actor. that internal conflict was becoming too repeated and thus too shallow for me. being a father – now that’s tough for a young guy – and a celeb no less.

i used to worry about how their age difference might hinder their chemistry and believability as a couple – but no more!!!!!

The zoo scene was too cute! And I adored the Kae-hwa/Ye-eun bonding moments, too – I can’t wait to introduce Min-ji into the mix. Poor Min-woo won’t know what hit him, with three new women coming into his life suddenly like that. I hope they have a little boy later for his sake. 🙂

good review……javabeans….
(I wonder if you are working in IT field….as Java programmer…..hehehe…)

even I imagine..that MinWoo…finally dropped YeEun in an orphanage…..
And Kae-Hwa left MinWoo’s apartment…but a month later she gets married to a man who is richer, nicer and more handsome than MinWoo…..whose previous wife is died because of illness…played by BaeYongJoon….Hahaha
And thus….KaeHwa can take her daughter from her ex-husband….and get YeEun from an orphanage…..and live happily ever after…..
Several months later….MinWoo who feels lonely…decides that it’s time to get YeEun from orphanage, but he gets news that his daughter already adopted by someone else…..
so…he will suffer alone…..there you are….heartless-wannabe-playboy-jerk….
hahaha…..
sorry if this is too harsh…because I can’t understand his infatuation to YuRa….
Indeed she’s beautiful…but beauty doesn’t last as long as character.
Geez…..I really hate manipulative person….regardless their gender…but I hate more if it’s girl….

I don’t like how it’s already at the halfway point in the drama and Min-Woo is still gaga over someone he shouldn’t be gaga over. When Yu-ra had that wedding dress on, he should have looked embarrassed or uncomfortable instead of looking like he was hopelessly in love with her. Isn’t the main love story supposed to develop???

I am glad you didnt recap more of the scenes of Yura wanting to make Min Woo melt at her sight of her in the wedding gown… Cheap move Yura… cheap tacky move…

I am with you hoping they write her to bemore irrelevant and ITA, I am not sure if its Park Han Byul character choosing she does, but if she picked this because she has prior experience from Fantasy Couple then she doesnt seems to flash out another dimension she has an as actress…

This episode (and the next) makes me kinda angry with Sung Min Woo but that means that Siwon is an able actor… But the character of Sung Min Woo is really annoying sometimes… I get his hands are tied because of his status as a top star, but I wished he was more assertive…

I mean we have “annoying but adorable” male leads like Han Kyul in Coffee Prince or Song Jae Bin in Last Scandal, but at least by now in the drama, we see the path they are gonna take… but here… I have no idea why is Min Woo still dallying about with Yura and his career choices…. arghhh…

I actually thinks that Min Woo relented and bring Kae Hwa and bb to the zoo because of the upcoming adoption plans, maybe to sort of diminishing his guilt a little… but man that does not even equalize abandoning her now but adopting her later move coz bb is so traumatized till now that she can’t talk!!! First abandoned by her mom, and next by you… is her mom ever gonna turn up I wonder? So Min Woo… chin up and be a good daddy!!!

My msg to Min Woo is this…
“Min Woo wake up! Never in a million years that Yura is gonna accept ur daughter and another million she is gonna make you samgyupsal and ddukboki or ginseng tea!”

Seriously if the drama have Min Woo end up w Yura… I am gonna be so disspointed… It can’t be!!! I ship my couple!!!

Oh,poor ye-eun..she has already been abandoned before.she’s just begun to open up..my.my.the angst.i know how it is very conflicted for a man like Min wo.at least his decision suits his personality..i just dont want he’ll be like yong jai in full house.miraculously changed without a progress..i’d like to see how he gradually become a mature man.let’s see how it’ll all turn out.okay,i’m ‘talking’ too much ¤try to shut my mouth¤

Great recap as always, Javabean. But I have to say, your recaps -and your analysis at the end- are the only two things keeping me interested.

I think that because this show is so light and supposedly funny, the story has two ways to go: show explicit romantic feelings between the two characters through comedy and silliness, or just become a collection of nonsensical dramatic conflicts that “push” the characters together. For me, the writers/director/whomever erroneously chose the latter choice (they started with the former in the case of having immature Min-woo reacting to his new situation, but that somehow got lost in all this newly assumed angst). Because now, we have Minwoo struggling to maintain his lifestyle and Kae Hwa struggling with her new found independent working-woman identity, WHERE IS THE ROMANCE?

I feel like Min Woo’s choice to abandon his daughter causes an obvious rife between them, but this is the same rife that might happen between two relatives. Of course she’s disappointed in him, but was that ever based on her perception of him as a good amorous counterpart? No, it’s the same hurt and disappointment a mother would feel towards her son if he decided to put her in a retirement home. There is attachment, but a growing love…no, not a bit. Kae Hwa rarely, if ever, showed romantic feelings toward Min Woo. Min Woo is much too enthralled by his childhood love (that bitch!) for audience members to truly accept a MinWoo-KaeHwa coupling at this point. This drama is taking way too long for me to really stay interested. The best testament to this show’s lack of development are those ridiculous dramatic subplots (wow look at MinWoo rescue his lady by punching those guys, *swoon*) to keep audience members interested.

Personal Taste, on the other hand, is showing real growth in characters and relationships. Hooray for a show that tries.

@ 10… WORD!!! I am with you… I don’t get it either how could it be that we are at ep 9 & 10 and Min-Woo is still gaga over someone he shouldn’t be gaga over.

I was waiting for his expression when Yura had on her gown, I was like please don’t show that puppy eyes… no… don’t and wham bam… he did and look at her like she was a goddess… when I was hoping he either look uncomfortable or lost in thoughts, imagining that was Kae Hwa instead! Like oh man… since ep 6 kiss, every episode after I am asking when is the love story gonna start!!!

I have to admit, for a while I was extremely into this drama (i think this was post-ep 6 kiss). Now, it’s just sort of dragged on. There’s no romance (so i agree with #15) really, and I know we need development and all but my favorite parts are the awkward Minwoo-Kaehwa moments, and we haven’t been seeing those.
Still, I’m waiting for episode 11 and I hope things get better (meaning Yura dies or something. ok no, but SOMETHING)

I for one appreciate the semi-slow progression into the ROMANCE of it all, as other people are pining for it. I don’t want the same ol’ story of prince falling in love with ajuma almost instantly because she’s virtuous, and changed him, and yaddy-yadda-yadda. I want them to move into the romance at a pace that’s realistic considering the differences they have. If they’re going to go full on with the romance all of a sudden, it won’t seem realistic…. Than again, we come to like dramas and stuff in the hopes of escaping the real world… sometimes.

I am also wondering when they will turn up the romance between Kae Hwa and Min Woo. At this point, we kind of see Min Woo looking at Kae Hwa differently, although he still has his YuRa infatuation, but I still don’t get a sense that Kae Hwa is thinking of Min Woo in a romantic way, even slightly.

Its already up to episode 10 this week, and if the series ends at 16, when will they be able to build up the romantic storyline?

Ye Eun is really cute, and the little girl playing her is doing a really good job. Cuteness overload in all her scenes.

am i the only one who’s feeling like ep 9 and 10 is trying to make us waver as to weather we like min woo or the show director more . at least that how i felt . min woo really went all out in this episode – i already think his a jerk !! am rooting for the director now unless ep 11 convinces me otherwise .

@23 – I agree… Since it is K-drama, I guess they had to build up some kind of love triangle… or whatever love there is in this drama. There’s 6 episodes left to realistically wrap up the drama with Minwoo and Kaehwa relationship in a way that will appeal to the audience. I can’t think of a way they can do that, unless it’s a super rushed ending and I don’t like that.

The way the story is progressing (with bigger, new problems coming up) it seems like there should be more than just 16 episodes.

I hAAAAaaate report Han! Why does his character exist? He’s annoying, unfunny, and a waste of time. I can’t understand why the show gives him so much screen time when he really adds nothing of value but instead irritation. Why can’t they just have some faceless razzi that we see 5 secs of every once in a while? It would achieve the same effect as having Han around, and viewers will just as easily understand that Minwoo could be discovered anytime. You can’t even argue that Han builds tension in the show…how threatening is a guy that’s always on his ass in the parking garage or wrapped in a cardboard box like a hobo? At least mute the fella and give his lines to one of the less developed characters.

I hope it is really a 20-epi drama. I am glad for the development of the characters but a little disappointed since I want more Gae-hwa and Min-woo scenes together. I want them to start the romantic love already.

Thank you Javabeans for the episode recap!

I laughed at this line: After all, who hasn’t been here, finding friendships through communal suffering?

I was laughing when I was watching that part because it is sooo true. I mean, office workers do gossip abut their boss.

Too many ands…

And yes, the little girl is most attached to Gae-hwa than her father.

And glad that Gae-hwa’s wardrobe is improving!

And true about PHB, I’m annoyed at Yoo-ra but her character will be much more effective if portrayed by a much better actress. I hope Yoo-ra will be thrown somewhere far from Min-woo and Gae-hwa. Why is Min-woo enamored by her anyway, aside from she’s young and beautiful, she is totally annoying.

20 episodes? are u sure? if it is then i wouldn’t be worried about how the writers will build up romantic relationship between them..with 16 eps, if they’re still determined to hook them up, it’ll be done in a haste and that won’t do any good..or they choose to making it into a noona-dongsaeng relationship and that’s the worst thing ever 🙁

Interesting..unlike other dramas of the comedy/romance kind, rather than just having one jerk and one nice guy..they really got two jerks. So she can make the older guy open up more and the younger one grow up and be responsible and both be better humans, as is the poor spunky female leads role in these sorts of tv shows.

Thanks Javabeans for the always wonderful recap, you always help me see things that I didn’t catch when I was watching those episodes.

But r u sure it is 20 epis? cus I read somewhere that the next show they are planning to air after OML will be staring from May 17, which if I count it right, would be when the 16th episode ends. So…well, I am a bit worried about how they are ganna develop and end the story, especially the romance between the 2 leads.

But I am so digging Siwon’s acting. He did more than just surprising me：）

Not enough of love buildup yet…I wonder if it will happen at all….ok it will but I’m worried that somehow, at the end, there’s no clear ending. I hate those types…leave me wondering. How on earth is Min-woo going to cause Kae-hwa to fall in love with him??? I don’t see any trace of that right now. And she’s too honorable to love Shi-yoon or have any love relations with him. I want Kae-hwa to be in love and live happily ever after.

I loved how Min-woo is over-compensating his feelings for GW by “going” at the more “appropriate” choice of Yoora. I mean, it’s quite obvious that he thinks of his feelings for GW as weird and uncool. His male ego must be smarting like heck. He’s the hot star and he’s supposed to fall in love with younger girls and not older ladies with kids.
I also like how he’s slowly starting to make decisions on his own – be it the attempt of financing the musical, or sending YH to the orphanage (which certainly must’ve been hard on him, but I also think that, outside of stepping into the limelight and just admitting the truth, it’s the only feasible option he has to hush over the “scandal”. Of course, once the girl would be in the orphanage, Evil Manager Guy would work all connections to make sure that MW won’t be able to adopt the child…).
The reporter dude’s constant “presence” gives me a good feeling of the conflict between him and MW. I mean, the thing is that MW and Han are not strangers, they need each other (Han needs MW for landing a scoop and keep his employment, while MW needs reporter Han to write articles about him that make MW looking good in public. Because of that, they dance around each other. The question is, what kind of reporter and human is Han? I have a feeling that he’ll play a crucial role in how this “MW the father” story is brought to the public. Han’s already so close to the truth (and MW will probably go ballistic when Han starts making an item out of him and GW over some photos he took in the parking lot or elsewhere), but his article can either be condemning or allow MW to save some face.
I also like how GW is struggling to stand on her own feet. What I find a relief is that her selfish hubby and his new wife don’t try to snatch Min-ji away; it would become rather problematic if that conflict would be thrown into the equation, too.
I just wonder what GW’s true role is in this drama. I mean, of course she’s a mother of course, but when will she start seeing herself as a desirable female? When will she allow herself to feel attraction for a man and follow it, rather than hiding behind her duties of sustaining her family? I think, that will be a rather huge step for her. She’s feeling attraction but she’s just as stuck in her habits as MW is.
I’m curious as to how the plot will develope.

Love reading your recaps on OML.. It’s so entertaining and insightful..
Wasn’t too keen to watch OML initially though it has Chae Rim ~ Maybe because i don’t know who is Choi Siwon, the male lead…
But now.. I’m loving the show.. N NOW i know who is he ~

I’m certain that it’s just 16 episodes coz Siwon would be busy with Super Junior comeback this May. Also, it’s not really doing that well, ratings-wise, so I doubt it’d have a 4-episode extension.
I honestly think the main problem of OML is that it has so many side stories and characters, most of which are boring, annoying or worse, both. I mean, I love supporting characters, but it’s another story when they take HALF or even MORE airtime than what the two major characters. It’s annoying as hell.
I feel like they could have done better scenes and developments during the previous episodes, but they chose to show some trivial scenes instead.

For the 6 remaining episodes, I really have no idea how they gonna fit in the romantic storyline of MW and KH, not to mention the love triangle with Chief, the father/daughter development, the financial struggle of the musical (and the musical scene itself), Chief and wife’s marital problem, the problem with his manager, Ye Eun’s past and mother, the struggle when the secret is revealed to the public, etc. Like, really, there are too much more to deal with. Not to mention, isn’t the plot about an ahjumma turning into a manager to improve an actor’s skills? And, she and her daughter are supposed to live with him? LIKE REALLY, HOW THE EFFF CAN THEY ALL FIT THESE ALL IN 6 EPISODES!!!!!!?!?!?

But nevertheless, I love Siwon’s acting here. I can already see him being successful in dramas and movies.

Yura = URGH. Park Han-Byul is so good at being bad at acting it just aggravates me to see her, not just Yura.
Like many other people, I am both extremely annoyed at Min-Woo’s infactuation with Yura, but also it fascinates me how the events will turn out between KH/MW – if anything will ever happen (initially I thought it was a bit slow because of 16 eps, but if it’s 20 – I suppose it’s okay now…)
In reading your recaps, the show honestly seems much better than when I watch it. Thanks very much 🙂

Thanks for another great recap, javabeans. My k-drama watching is just not complete without your commentary. Even though Oh My Lady has a standard plot and good (but not great) acting, I’m really enjoying this drama !

Thanks, JB, for your insightful recap as always! I can’t help but nodding my head in agreement about bonding through communal suffering and the bigger hurt to Ye-eun in the event of a separation from KH.

It will be a relief if it is indeed a 20-ep drama to allow the pace for wrapping up the story. While I am also a bit impatient about the little progress in the MW-KH romance, it is totally understandable that romance or another man will be the last thing on KH’s mind for someone in her position. In fact, the story is much more interesting with MW being the first one having the romantic feeling.

Is it really 20 episodes?! That would make a lot more sense to me because I, like a lot of other people, don’t think Kae Hwa really feels romantically about him at all. To me it would take more than 6 episodes for it to logically progress, but if it is 20 eps then the slower pacing is a good thing. Thanks for the recap!

Thanks for the great recap, Javabeans! I really loved your explanation of the wedding dress scene and the “mystical power” surrounding a wedding dress. =-)

I have to admit that this episode really bummed me out, because I can’t believe Min-woo would even contemplate abandoning his adorable, precious, already traumatized daughter just so he could be to free marry. . . someone like Yura? It makes no sense. However, I did think KH and Shi-joon were both pretty awful in how they treated Min-woo’s offer to invest in the production, and I wonder where we would be if KH had believed in MW’s generosity then. It just shows how Kae-hwa and Min-woo still don’t fully understand each other, which I guess is realistic at this point, especially if we’re getting 20 episodes (I hope!).

Can I just say, I really wish Min-woo would stop treating Tae-du, his friend in the smoothie shop, like his servant! Tae-gu is such a cutie, plus Min-woo surely doesn’t like being bossed around by his manager, so why is he so comfortable doing this to his supposed “friend”? There is something a little messed up about all of Min-woo’s relationships at this point., and I wonder if he has any “pure” relationships, where neither side is using each other. I guess it just sucks to be a star…